Gary

LATEST ARTICLES ( 248 )

• Kendall Graveman Gets Sent to Nashville, the Mecca of Country Music.

  

  The Athletics’ young pitcher and top prospect Kendall Graveman was absolutely shelled in his last two starts and subsequently sent down to (AAA) Nashville. The... Read more

  Posted on 28 April 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Victor French and the A’s Cap in the Pantheon of Popular Culture.

  

  French’s beat up, snap-backed “dad hat,” may be the most famous Athletics cap of all time.As a child who grew up in the seventies, I’m flabbergasted at the... Read more

  Posted on 27 April 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• The Origins of the “Mustache Gang.”

  

  Rollie Fingers has the most famous mustache in baseball history…although he wasn’t the trend setter.The following is an excerpt from Bruce Markusen’s amazing an... Read more

  Posted on 24 April 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Rollie Fingers Riding a Dolphin….and Other Random Thoughts.

  

  Maybe I’m crazy and maybe I aintSo was Picasso and so were the saintsI’ve never been partial to shackles and chainsI’m too young for breakin’ and too old to... Read more

  Posted on 23 April 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Brett Lawrie and My Vacation.

  

  Who doesn’t tape 40’s to their hands, I mean….c’mon!I am typing this through the dense smell of cow shit on an Amtrak train hurtling at 80 mph through the... Read more

  Posted on 20 April 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Al Dark and the Summer of 1974.

  

  Loves the Mercury Cougar.Alvin Dark was fired by owner Charles O. Finley in 1967 and here he was taking his grief, again, in 1974. The Oakland ball-club had jus... Read more

  Posted on 22 March 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Spring Training Update

  

  I’m smoking a cigarette; a Camel non filter– the tiny object representing American ingenuity by the label being printed on the lit end. The Viet-Cong couldn’t... Read more

  Posted on 17 March 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Interview with Former Oakland Athletic and Texas Ranger Jim Umbarger…

  

  “Umby” in 1977.1. Let’s start at the beginning- you were drafted by the Cleveland Indians but opted to go to Arizona St. instead. What prompted this decision? Read more

  Posted on 08 March 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Mark Ellis retires…The Fro Mournes.

  

  Mark Ellis quietly retired last week as one of the best defensive second baseman of all time. (5th best all time fielding percentage. Read more

  Posted on 06 March 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Brian Kingman Does Some Time Travel.

  

  loves girls with cars….well, at least in 1975.BK,I just noticed you were born on July 27th. I was born on July 26th, 1975….you were a young buck just starting... Read more

  Posted on 24 February 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Rollie Fingers Riding a Dolphin and Other Random Thoughts.

  

  Yes, he rides dolphins.Most of the Athletics sights in internet-land played the typical baseball writing game of follow the leader and were frothing at the mout... Read more

  Posted on 21 February 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Nancy Finley Talks About the Oakland A’s Dynasty of the 70’s.

  

  Homer Simpson’s favorite team of all time–the ’74 Oakland A’s. Charles O. Finley. Genius. Rabble-Rouser. Inventor. Millionaire. Cheapskate. Read more

  Posted on 18 February 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Bruce Robinson Sounds off About His Life, Passions and Big League Career.

  

  Stanford grad and modern day renaissance man.Bruce Robinson only had 84 at bats as an Oakland Athletic, but what he has given to the game and life in general... Read more

  Posted on 27 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• The Most Hated Oakland Athletics (according to My Readers)

  

  The “winner!”1.) Jim Johnson –This one doesn’t surprise me as it’s still fresh in everyone’s mind. I disagreed with the signing from the very beginning because... Read more

  Posted on 22 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Mark McGwire, My Childhood, and Why He Should Be in the HOF.

  

  It’s strange; when most baseball fans talk about iconic cards of their youths they will usually cite a  1952 Mickey Mantle, 1968 Nolan Ryan or even a 1984 Don... Read more

  Posted on 16 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Thoughts on the Ben Zobrist Trade.

  

  Hard to understand what Billy is doing in Oakland. Turning over the entire roster and then trading away a top prospect for what? A couple of decent guys with... Read more

  Posted on 10 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• “Home Run” Baker Had a Huge Dong.

  

  Hung like a horse.The following was re-printed from Robert W. Creamer’s book, Babe: A Legend Come to Life.Because of the Babe’s prowess, there were the... Read more

  Posted on 10 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• A Fictional Account of the Adventures of Bob Hale, Scout for the Kansas City...

  

  Bob Hale was tired and just wanted to eat, have a beer and perhaps grumble to a stranger. He spotted a flashing motel sign in the distance and pulled his statio... Read more

  Posted on 09 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Random Facts About a Player Hardly Anyone Remembers.

  

  “Smiling Jack”Jack Sanford ended his career with 137 wins in 1967–a number that everyone agrees would constitute a successful run in the big leagues. Read more

  Posted on 08 January 2015 BASEBALL, SPORTS

• Sometimes You Need a Laugh.

  

  Well, I haven’t posted on here for a while, yet I’d like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a quick laugh with the video below.I imbibed a bit on wine while... Read more

  Posted on 27 December 2014 BASEBALL, SPORTS